This relates generally to golf clubs, and more particularly to a detachable golf putter extension structured to provide substantially increased putter shaft length, stability and accuracy during use.
A great deal of attention has been given to unique golf club putter designs for improved putting. This is so because the majority of (counted) golf strokes occur on the putting green for many golfers. Applicant is aware of a number of U.S. patents which have disclosed various structural improvements to golf club putters as follows:
______________________________________ 4,674,747 Frenchik 3,539,185 Andis 4,826,168 McGuire, et al. 4,437,663 Crisci 3,524,646 Wheeler 3,663,019 Palotsee 3,102,726 Barrett 4,252,317 Vezina ______________________________________
Typically, golfers putt from a crouched position using golf putters of standard length. From this unsteady position, accurate putting is more difficult. However, a new style of golf putter has been introduced. This new putter takes the form of an elongated club shaft which extends upwardly from the golf head when laid atop the ground to the vicinity of the user's chest area. It has been, and will herein be, referred to as a "pendulum-style long putter" or "long putter". The mode of using this new golf club design is described in more detail in the detailed description portion of this application. These long putters allow the golfer to putt from a more upright, stable, relaxed position, and to more freely swing the head of the putter more consistently as a pendulum.
Applicant has found great benefit in using such putters; however, to date, the only forms of these pendulum-style long putters available have been those with solid or fixed length, elongated club shafts. Thus, for the golfer wishing to use such long putters, an entirely new golf club putter must be purchased.
These long putters also necessarily include their own style putter head. Many golfers have invested a considerable amount of money in putters which incorporate sophisticated, high technology design into the club head and such technology must be sacrificed if the golfer wishes to purchase one of these long putters presently marketed.
An additional problem with the fixed-length long putters resides in their storage when not in use. Most golf bags are not designed of sufficient length to properly accommodate one of these long putters which extend beyond the upper end of the gold bag a considerable distance further than the other golf clubs contained in the bag and will not fit under the club hood of the bag. Such fixed-length long putters may not even fit into smaller trunks of automobiles.
The present invention provides a device in kit form which facilitates the conversion of any conventional putter into a long putter. The detachable golf putter extension may thus be made connectable onto the upper end of any golf club putter shaft so that the user's present putter may be utilized either as a long putter or as a conventional putter as desired. Additionally, storage of the invention and corresponding modified putter is no problem in conventional golf bags and conveyance equipment as the device is easily detachable for separate storage. Of course, the invention is also intended to be used in conjunction with newly manufactured golf club putters in combination.